‘The X Factor UK’ Runner-Up Saara Aalto Signs Five-Album Deal

Saara Aalto may not have won The X Factor UK 2016, but her future seems pretty much set regardless.

Saara has signed a lucrative five-album deal as part of a joint venture with Sony Music UK and Sony Music Finland, with international pop superstar Sia writing an original song for her debut album. In addition, Grammy winners Diane Warren and David Foster will also lend their songwriting talents to Saara’s debut album. Considering the hits they’ve written for such stars as Beyonce and Celine Dion, this is a huge coup for Saara, and it could mean one hell of a start for her global pop career.

Source: YouTube

“I’m now working with some of the best songwriters in the world and Sia has written a song that has been given to me. Oh my god, it’s just insane,” Saara said in an interview for a news outlet in her native Finland. “I think Sia is a pretty good reference for me because her way of singing and the way she composes the melodies and writes the lyrics is very similar to what I’ve always done. I describe my own music as epic love pop. I don’t want to sing about going to a party with friends, I want to sing meaningful songs that can inspire people and I think Sia’s songs are really deep.”

I couldn’t be more thrilled for Saara, who came into The X Factor live shows looking like she’d be one of the first acts eliminated from the competition. Instead, she completely turned it around and became one of the most buzzed-about contestants of the season. Here’s hoping this record deal with Sony finally launches her on the global scale, beyond what she could have expected from placing as runner-up on The X Factor UK and The Voice of Finland back in 2012. I’ll be rooting for her like crazy.

But what do you think about Saara’s big record deal? Are there any other acts from The X Factor UK 2016 Top 12 that deserve a record deal? Sound off in the comments!